


Tell Me What to Do

by SpicyRedPaladin



Series: Push Me to the Edge [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Gen, Negan stands up for Carl, Rick's an ass, Rick's insane for a second
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 00:25:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11497935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyRedPaladin/pseuds/SpicyRedPaladin
Summary: Negan stared at the teen before him, a bemused grin painting his lips. “I must be losing my hearing here. I don’t believe I heard you quite right, m’boy. You’re going to have to say that again.”Carl took a deep breath and tightened his fists. “I said, ‘Tell me what to do’. I can’t do everything on my own.” The look on his face said he was ready. Ready for anything Negan could have him say or do.





	Tell Me What to Do

**Author's Note:**

> Two updates in one night! Because I was working on this before Aftershock lol

Negan stared at the teen before him, a bemused grin painting his lips. “I must be losing my hearing here. I don’t believe I heard you quite right, m’boy. You’re going to have to say that again.”

Carl took a deep breath and tightened his fists. “I said, ‘Tell me what to do’. I can’t do everything on my own.” The look on his face said he was ready. Ready for anything Negan could have him say or do.

“First thing’s first, you need to tell your daddy. He’s gonna go ape-shit if you just hop into a truck without a word. Hell, I’ll even hold your hand if y’need me to.” Negan smirked. “Gotta say, I’d sure like to see the look on his face, seeing his baby boy holding hands with the Big Bad Wolf.”

The teen blushed a bit, imagining the prospect. “I think that might make things worse. And you can stop calling me ‘baby’. It’s not funny.”

Negan scoffed and shook his head. “You get yourself through this, without my help. Then I’ll tell you how man-sized your balls are.” He ruffled Carl’s hair. “Got your shit together? Then come on and say bye to Woody out there.”

Carl shook his head with a smile, grabbing the rucksack that held all his worldly possessions before following the lead Saviour out of the abandoned house he’d been avoiding Rick in. He adjusted Negan’s jacket against the cold, proud that Negan had let him keep it. They walked in silence for the first block or so, but then Negan spoke.

“I’m pretty sure those thick shit-brains back at Sanctuary won’t have a room ready for you. Y’fine with bumping shoulders with me till I scare their asses into gear?”

Carl laughed. “I’ve shared with worse. Besides, you’re more of an angry puppy than a Big Bad Wolf.”

Negan scowled a bit, but shook his head with a laugh. “You really are something else, aren’t you? Anybody else tried to talk to me like you do, I’d make ‘em give Lucille a little bath.”

They soon joined the congregation out by the gate. The Saviours had already loaded the supplies, and were waiting for Negan’s orders to leave or bash skulls. Negan draped his arm over Carl’s shoulders, speaking in a low voice so only the teen would hear. “You got this, Carl. Just give the old bastard what for and come on home to Daddy Negan.”

Carl grinned a bit, looking down. It was hard to stay sour with Negan’s quips and teasings. He took a deep breath and wiped away his smile, approaching his father. He stayed out of arm’s reach from the man, and close enough to Negan that he could retreat if need be. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

Rick looked between his son and their oppressor, confusion in his eyes. Michonne shook her head, watching from a few steps back.

“Dad.. Rick. I’m leaving Alexandria. Going with Negan.”

The response was immediate. Rage filled Rick’s eyes and it was as though he was no longer the same person. Not the doting father who believed Carl to be an angel. Not the broken man who had lost his wife. He was a madman. A rabid wolf in the clothing of a downtrodden sheep.

“You’re not going with that murderer! He killed Glenn! Killed Abraham! And you want to buddy up to him? You’re not leaving my sight, boy!” He stepped forward, reaching out with both hands to grab his son.

Fear flashed in the boy’s eyes for a mere second before his vision was painted red. Rick screamed with agony and Judith began to cry in Michonne’s arms. The dark-skinned woman cried out. It took Carl several seconds to register Rick’s broken arm, the flesh mangled and ragged, and Lucille barring the space between them. Negan pulled Carl back.

“Look here, _shit-stick_. This ain’t a fuckin’ boy anymore. You’re staring at a _genuine badass_ , have been for a long ass time. He might not be quite so old as you, might not’ve killed quite so many men or had so many experiences, but he is at least as much a man as either of us. Hell, your own _son_ is more a man than you!”

Rick glared up at them, hate in his eyes. Through his pain, he managed to choke out a single sentence. “That boy is no son of mine.”

Carl breathed deeply, turning away from Rick and walking towards the trucks. Negan shook his head. “You know Rick, I’m disappointed in you.” With that, he turned away. “Get that arm fixed up! I’ll be back in two weeks, and I better get some good fucking shit after this hell-fest!”

The Saviours packed themselves into their trucks, Negan ushering the boy into one of them before sliding in beside him. He wrapped an arm around the teen, who had begun to cry silently.

“You did good, Carl. You’ve got some man-sized balls. Hell, at your age, I wouldn’t have been able to stand up to my daddy like that.”

Carl leaned against the man, trembling a bit. Negan wasn’t sure what to do other than to pull his jacket tighter around the boy and stroke his hair. He felt the boy drift off into troubled sleep and glared over at the driver, making sure he knew not to speak a word of what he’d said.

As Sanctuary came into sight, he looked back at the boy, now a man in his eyes.

“Welcome home, Carl.”


End file.
